Stories

Most males are pretty macho when it comes to playing and/or watching sport – big hits, knockouts, takeouts and wipeouts. So why are so many of our kiwi men spending so much time following Lydia Ko’s progress on the golf scene?

Probably it’s because even the most testosterone-charged of us still enjoys a bit of sporting finesse. Sure, we can watch Dustin and Rory and the rest belt out million-mile drives – but Lydia and a lot of the other girls on the LPGA circuit brings us a different take on the game. Their ability to hit greens from a good distance, get close to the pin and sink some sensational putts shows us mere mortals how skill can be at least the equal of brute force.

Add to that’s Lydia’s brilliant approach to the golfing life. She enjoys it, unlike a lot of the boorish Pros (no names but you know who we mean) on the men’s circuit. Probably it’s easy to smile when you’ve got bucks spilling out of your back pocket -but it’s great to see her and other LPGA players actually smiling while they play. Sure, our grim rugby players, our leaguies and their like, can all crank out a bit of a grin after the game but you’ve got to wonder how much fun they’re having while they’re out on the field.

OK, we don’t want the boys going all gooey. We still want tough physical contests and, ifwe’re honest, don’t mind a bit of biff now and then. But do we have to buy into the feeling they all hate each other. Hell, they play with each other enough, they share a few beers after the game, so why not a bit of “mate” attitude while they’re on the field.

Maybe we’re dreaming. But if you want to see top quality sport played with intensity – but also laced with camaraderie – check out the LPGA. For the “real” males, there are some good-looking girls out there – but, more than that, there’s a good look about the way they play the game.

The more golf you play the more you realise it’s there’s more to it than just “tee it up and blast it”. And whether you play just socially with your mates or you’re keen to get into it properly, the golf handicap thing becomes important.

So, to get a proper NZ golf handicap you have to join a club … and pay out a fair few bucks for your sub No choice there – but you do have a real choice where you join and how much you pay.

We understand that you might not want to play one course all the time, or fork out a couple of grand to join a city club. So we came up with our Rookiesub – just $120 a year (plus a $30 admin fee the first year only) for real membership of Mangawhai. That gets you into the Dotgolf system and lets you sort out a real NZ Golf handicap that’s valid at any club. You pay signicantly reduced rates when you play at Mangawhai, and affiliated rates at any other club. So after, say, 8 rounds a year you’ve saved the cost of the Rookie sub.

OK, we know some back-country clubs have offered this sort of thing – but they’re courses you’ll most probably never get to play. Whereas, as a Mangawhai Rookie member, your home course is one of NZ’s highest regarded layouts and not much more than 1 hour north of the Auckland CBD.

Plus, once you’re a Mangawhai Rookie we offer you deals and special offersfrom time to time that reward you for your membership and encourage you to get your mates to join up with you.

A quick answer to that is, “No!”. No matter how much the market is changing, the great majority of golf clubs – around the world and very certainly here in New Zealand – don’t go out of their way to make the casual (aka “non-affiliated”) golfer feel as through he or she is a valued customer. Sadly, too many clubs are locked into traditional “membership first” models that are becoming increasingly out of date.

Today’s younger golfer generally doesn’t share the club-loyalty traits of older generations. Their love of the game is just as strong, but they prefer variety and the ability to challenge themselves in different golfing environments. Sure, one day they may well become members of a golf club but right now their priorities lie elsewhere, as they form relationships, start families, travel and pursue other sporting/leisure activities.

A “traditional” golf club – and there are a lot of them out there = will shrug and say “well, when they’re ready to join us, we’ll welcome them.”. They’ll continue to trumpet the values of full membership and man the ramparts against the invasion of the casuals. Which is, to be blunt, a bit short-sighted.

The reality is that, in New Zealand, nearer 75% of those who claim to play golf do not belong to golf clubs. Yet the amount they spend on golf is way beyond just “significant”.

Here at Mangawhai, we see casual golfers, non-affiliates, whatever you want to call them as the lifeblood of our future game. We’ve always welcomed greenfee players – and now we’ve taken a giant step further toward embracing this side of the game via our new Unbeatable Golf programme. Simplistically, this programme, with its own stand-alone website, offers value-added packages for golf at Mangawhai. The aim is to say, “hey, we don’t care if you belong to the great family of club golfers or if you just enjoy a knock-around with your mates – you’re welcome here!”.

And this is a just a start. We have a new initiative planned which addresses the membership issue from the viewpoint of the casual golfer, giving this group what they want as opposed to what golf clbs think they should have. More details soon … and it will be a huge step ahead for golfers everywhere!

Oscar Wilde (or was it Mark Twain – both are well-known authors and all-round smartarses) once described golf as “a good walk spoiled”. Maybe that’s why so many younger people like to use a cart when they play a round. Most non-golfers think it’s a game for the sedentary, just a gentle stroll with very few calories being burnt. That’s until they play the game and find golf is actually a great way to burn up a few excess calories/kilojoules/whatever the latest weight-loss measurement is.

So why this craze for carts? Probably because the casual golfer sees it as an “occasion” that riding in a cart is all very much part of. In reality, it doesn’t make a hoot of difference to your game (although the ancient and purist golfer will scoff at those who don’t toss their bag over their shoulder and hoof it down the fairway). Some days you’ll score well when using a cart, some days you won’t. Same when you walk the course. Either way you have a good time with your mates … and the beer tastes good any which way.

The whole concept behind our Unbeatable Golf packages is to deliver you golf the way you want to play it. And at a level you’re happy to pay. Each package delivers a great greenfee deal … and adds extra value that makes this a very special outing. And here’s something that few other courses can offer you – brilliant playing conditions any day of the year. Our sand base means no slopping around in mud, so you can turn up in your white chinos and go home looking like you just stepped out of the pages of “Clean Living” magazine!

And if you want to walk or step out in a cart, that’s your call. We run a modern fleet of Yamaha carts – but you will need to book one before you turn up to play. We also, here at Mangawhai, have hire clubs and trundlers, plus a fully-stocked Golf Shop, a Lounge Bar with views across the course, and cafe food that, like our course, will prove more than satisfying.

Unbeatable Golf is … simply unbeatable! Check out our deals, then come and experience what is so special about Managawhai!

Golf, at its best, is a game of skill. But for most of us it’s all about raw power. Tee it up, hit the crap out of it (as Val Adams would say) … that’s the thrill-making part of the game. However, it’s usually the reason why our scores are so high.

While the best golfers in the world can hit it 100 miles off the tee, they spend a lot of time on their short game, from 100 metres in. That’s where the scoring is done, but the average golfer would rather spend his practice time trying to clear the fence at the end of the driving range.

And because of this, too often, golfers come off beaten up by the course and their own power delusions. They’ve made the game too hard, and the fun aspect quickly turns to frustration. (Have a round with one of those crafty old buggers who can old hit it 120 metres or so and see how well they manage their game and score well. They’re the realists.)

Still, some older golfers haven’t caught on as yet. They continue to start each round with dreams of playing like their youthful selves and quickly find they just can’t hit it as far as they used to.

A few New Zealand clubs have taken this idea on board, with the nett result that golfers prepared to swallow their pride and move forward to a shorter set of tees are having a lot better time on the course. A lot of it is overcoming the “women’s tees” attitude. To overcome this, at Mangawhai we don’t have women’s tees – just Blue, White, Red and Purple, each with their own course ratings.

A lot of casual players could gain from this: “It’s a lot of fun to hit it hard, but it’s a lot more fun to score well.” So next time you get out on the course, have a think about teeing it forward – and showing how good you can be at this game.

It’s one of the great ways to kill a friendship – pull a Golf Rule on your mate. Usually you’ll be told, fairly directly, that any such rules are “unfair” and “we don’t play that way”.

That’s fine when you’re with your mates have a “friendly” – but if you’re getting into the game in any serious way you’ll find some knowledge of the Rules is essential.

Like most other sports, Golf Rules are complex and can be very hard to interpret quickly, especially when you’re halfway through a hole.

So what do you do?

Firstly decide whether the fate of our world depends on the game you’re playing (this often depends on the stakes you’re playing for). Then, if you’re really sure, state what the Rule allows – what relief, what penalty). If you’re not sure, just get on with the game but make a note to pick up (and read) a Rule Book from the Golf Shop at the course.

Even in highly competitive club matches, Rules knowledge can be fairly sketchy and all kinds of disputes arise. Usually, the one who shouts loudest gets considered to be the greatest Golf Rules authority, simply through their persuasive (or intimidating) tone of voice.

So what’s best when you;re playing casually? First up, agree your own group’s rules before you tee off and make sure everyone knows whether you’re playing the lie, cleaning & placing, etc. Then, when it’s all over and the beers are on the bar, have a discussion about issues that arose during the round and check the Rule Book to see what should have happened.

You can take a Golf Rules course, if you want to bore your mates witless. Better you learn as you go. Just realise that while you may think that the Rules of Golf get in the way of a good time, the reality is that if we all play the same way we’ll have a better time out there.